Volume 8, Number 12 25 March 1991 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | _ | | / \ | | /|oo \ | | - FidoNews - (_| /_) | | _`@/_ \ _ | | FidoNet (r) | | \ \\ | | International BBS Network | (*) | \ )) | | Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// | | / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / | | (________) (_/(_|(____/ | | (jm) | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Editor in Chief: Vince Perriello Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings Copyright 1991, Fido Software. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact Fido Software. FidoNews is published weekly by and for the Members of the FidoNet (r) International Amateur Electronic Mail System. It is a compilation of individual articles contributed by their authors or authorized agents of the authors. The contribution of articles to this compilation does not diminish the rights of the authors. You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1:1/1. 1:1/1 is a Continuous Mail system, available for network mail 24 hours a day. Fido and FidoNet are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of Fido Software, Box 77731, San Francisco CA 94107, USA and are used with permission. Opinions expressed in FidoNews articles are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editor or of Fido Software. Most articles are unsolicited. Our policy is to publish every responsible submission received. Table of Contents 1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1 FidoNet Survey ........................................... 1 Just another fairy tale? ................................. 7 2. COLUMNS .................................................. 10 A submission for fidonews about the CIFC BBS List ........ 10 3. LATEST VERSIONS .......................................... 11 Latest Software Versions ................................. 11 4. NOTICES .................................................. 16 The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 16 FidoNews 8-12 Page 1 25 Mar 1991 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= Mitch Thompson FidoNET 1:383/15 The following survey was submitted for a user on my system. He asks that persons interested in helping him with this thesis project please place this survey (a message on a local message area is the easiest) on their BBS, collect the results, and send them to him. You could netmail them, or get in touch with me somehow, and I'll F'Req them from your systems, or something. Thank you in advance for your participation. Mitch Thompson FidoNet Survey by Kenneth Lansing of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas. This survey is designed as a graduate school thesis project. Your help in answering this research would be most helpful. Please take a few minutes to answer the following questions. All answers will be kept confidential and users will remain anonymous. 1) What type of computer are you using? (e.g., Amiga 500, Macintosh SE) Please type answer: 2) How did you find out about this BBS? (e.g., Friend, teacher, co-worker, another BBS) Please type answer: 3) Is your call to this BBS A) local? B) long distance? Type corresponding letter: 4) Are you the SYSOP (systems operator) of this BBS? A) yes B) no Type corresponding letter: 5) On average, how often do you use this BBS? FidoNews 8-12 Page 2 25 Mar 1991 A) once a month or less B) two or three times a month C) once a week D) two or three times a week E) once a day F) several times a day Type corresponding letter: 6) On average, how long do you use this BBS during a week? A) less than 15 minutes B) 15 to 30 minutes C) 30 minutes to 1 hour D) 1 to 2 hours E) 3 to 4 hours F) 5 to 6 hours G) more than 6 hours Type corresponding letter: 7) Do you use more than one BBS? A) yes B) no Type corresponding letter: 8) How long have you been using a computer and modem to connect to BBSes? A) less than 1 month B) 1 to 6 months C) 6 months to 1 year D) 1 to 2 years E) 3 to 5 years F) 6 to 8 years G) more than 8 years Type corresponding letter: 9) How long have you been using a computer and modem to connect to "this" BBS? A) less than 1 month B) 1 to 6 months C) 6 months to 1 year D) 1 to 2 years E) 3 to 5 years F) 6 to 8 years G) more than 8 years Type corresponding letter: 10) Approximately, how many different people do you exchange information or communicate with through this BBS? A) zero B) 1 to 4 C) 5 to 10 D) 11 to 15 FidoNews 8-12 Page 3 25 Mar 1991 E) more than 16 Type corresponding letter: 11) Approximately, how often do you use this BBS to communicate with other users of this BBS? A) never B) once a month C) 2 to 3 times a month D) once a week E) 2 to 3 times a week F) once a day G) several times a day Type corresponding letter: 12) Approximately, how often do you use this BBS to communicate with people on other local BBSes? A) never B) once a month C) 2 to 3 times a month D) once a week E) 2 to 3 times a week F) once a day G) several times a day Type corresponding letter: 13) Approximately, how often do you use this BBS to communicate with people on out-of-state BBSes (within the United States)? A) never B) once a month C) 2 to 3 times a month D) once a week E) 2 or 3 times a week F) more than 3 times a week Type corresponding letter: 14) Please approximate how often you use this BBS to communicate internationally? A) never B) once a month C) 2 to 3 times a month D) once a week E) 2 or 3 times a week F) more than 3 times a week Type corresponding letter: 15) On average, how often do you use this BBS to download computer files/programs? A) never B) once a month C) 2 to 3 times a month D) once a week FidoNews 8-12 Page 4 25 Mar 1991 E) 2 to 3 times a week F) once a day G) several times a day Type corresponding letter: 16) On average, how often do you use this BBS to upload computer files/programs? A) never B) once a month C) 2 to 3 times a month D) once a week E) 2 or 3 times a week F) once a day G) several times a day Type corresponding letter: 17) On average, how often do you use this BBS to play games? A) never B) once a month C) 2 to 3 times a month D) once a week E) 2 or 3 times a week F) once a day G) several times a day Type corresponding letter: 18) On average, how often do you use this BBS for Echomail/Group Mail/Special Interest Group (SIG) Conferences? A) never B) once a month C) 2 to 3 times a month D) once a week E) 2 or 3 times a week F) once a day G) several times a day Type corresponding letter: 19) What is your common use of this BBS? A) Download computer files/programs B) Upload computer files/programs C) Read or download newsletters D) Read message area E) Games F) EchoMail/Group Mail/Special Interest Group Conferences G) Electronic Mail (E-Mail) H) NetMail I) Chat with Sysop J) Other Type corresponding letter: 20) Please rate the overall quality of this BBS: FidoNews 8-12 Page 5 25 Mar 1991 A) very good B) good C) neither good nor bad D) bad E) very bad Type corresponding letter: Answers for the follwoing questions will be kept confidential and anonymous. 21) Are you? A) male B) female Type corresponding letter: 22) What is your ethnic background? A) White B) African-American/Black C) Hispanic D) Asian E) Other Type corresponding letter: 23) What is your highest education level completed? A) Elementary School B) Some High School C) High School graduate D) Some College E) College graduate F) Post-Graduate studies Type corresponding letter: 24) Which of these categories includes your total annual income? A) More than $50,000 B) $40,000 - $49,999 C) $20,000 - $39,999 D) $10,000 - $19,999 E) Under $10,000 Type corresponding letter: 25) What is your current marital status? A) Single B) Divorced or separated C) Married D) Widowed Type corresponding letter: 26) What is your age? A) Under 10 B) 10 - 19 C) 20 - 29 FidoNews 8-12 Page 6 25 Mar 1991 D) 30 - 39 E) 40 - 49 F) Over 50 Type corresponding letter: ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-12 Page 7 25 Mar 1991 Glenn Caleval 1:140/1 JUST ANOTHER FAIRY TALE? Once upon a time there was a group of friends and strangers who wanted to talk to one another through a magical wonder known in the arcana as Computer Communications. The original wizards of the mystic art commanded the forces of nature to bind them to another, a small coven of Touch Typists and Techies. And behold, it was good. Therefore the wizards proclaimed "let us prosyletize!" and they did. Soon the coven grew from a few to many. And then many more and many more until the group multiplied to cover the face of the Earth with their mystic arts and magical incantations. And still it was good. The group was a group but was not, and in that it was not was its strength and so it grew. In diverse places on the Earth did new groups both large and small appear, different each with its own strange customs and unusual deeds, yet all part of the first group. And together they would incant "F-i-d-o-n-e-t, ohmmmm." For that which tied them was fragile, little more than wire and strange numbers in a magical list. But for all the numbers and wire, a beast lurked in the midst of the group and the beast had a name and it was "Annoyance." For though the magic was powerful and shone forth in its awe, none would ever bleed from misuse of the force. No limb be torn, nor brow bruised by evil use of the magic. But still this one beast arose and many became obsessed with the name of Annoyance. Then darkly through the monitor spake a voice of darkness. "Policy," it said. "Policy will make us like unto one another and thus will we be rid of the beast." And there was much rushing hither and yon, and whispering and rumors of war and much ado about this new weapon, Policy. Said the Moderator, "And it shall say that I am the lord god of my dominions and none shall challenge me on penalty of echodeath!" Said the NEC, "And it shall say that no NC shall rise up against me lest Policy be brought against him and he shall surely rue that day." Said the REC, "And I shall be the master of all I survey and I shall know what is right in my principalities and I shall cause the underlings beneath me to walk in righteousness by the name of Policy." FidoNews 8-12 Page 8 25 Mar 1991 Said the ZEC, "Policy hath forsaken me to my doom and I shall never say what I think lest someone disagree with me." Said the NC, "We are not Annoyed." Said the RC, "We are not annoited." Said the ZC, "We are not amused." Said the frustrated sysop, "And I shall use the might of Policy to Vote, to Vote, and I shall be rid of all my frustration and rid of all those who would coordinate me." Said the Average Sysop, "Who are all these people anyway?" And concern begat discussion which begat debate which begat argument which begat bitterness which begat Policy. And no one got kissed before they got begat. ### PostLogue From Echopol to ZEC elections to the New Jerusalem of Policy 5, this fairy tale is no creative writing. FidoNet is a connection more than it is a group. Indeed, the individual systems in a given net differ more than they are alike, in views, in purpose, in modus operandi and often even in hardware/software configurations. We are not a homogeneous unit. We have two things that actually bind us: general purpose (to communicate) and general method (the nodelist). Beyond that it's work and as much good luck as we can get. The problems all the buzzing is intended to solve really do come down to matters of being annoyed. Sure foolish users or sysops can cost us all money, but if anyone thinks the power of policy will or should eliminate this annoyance their dream will be shaken when we wake up in the New Jerusalem. We will still have (and need to tolerate) foolish users and sysops. Giving sysops a vote will solve the problems, right? Join the new Coffee echo and have a smell. Giving sysops voting rights is going to cause considerably more problems than it could pretend to solve. Witness the ZEC elections. Annoyed sysops will vote, campaign, stir up bad feelings and replicate Z1_Election many times in the future. The Average Sysop will continue to wonder "Who are these guys anyway?" FidoNews 8-12 Page 9 25 Mar 1991 What problem were we trying to solve? Feeling helpless cause you didn't get your way? Just wait until some of those folks have a "mandate" and worry about not getting your way. Mad because the Moderator doesn't let you enter msgs about the price of candy in the tech echo? Electing a new one won't make much difference unless you all want a candy echo instead. So start a candy echo. All this aside it is my personal opinion that we can survive within the constraints of the most recent cut of Echopol and the newest proposed WorldPol/Policy5. But as we jump into the fray, perhaps a little fairy tale might be useful... ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-12 Page 10 25 Mar 1991 ================================================================= COLUMNS ================================================================= Matt Barton FidoNet: 1:231/70.0 CIFC BBS List We here in net 231 have the opurtunity to participate in a new idea using FidoNet(r) technology. It's called the Central Indiana FidoNet Cooperative BBS List. It enables users to submit entries into a large database of BBS's using questionares for Qbbs/Ra/Sbbs. This idea was conceived of by a person name Casey Schaphorst of 1:231/240.0 (Falx Cerebri Amiga). He wrote the program that processes updates and publishes the lists. So far, the program creates three files. They are: LOCALBBS.ASC, SHORTBBS.ASC, and CIFC_RPT.ASC. All or which are sent out by the host node of the list. According to the date that this was written, there are seven things that a user may do to create an update to the list: Add, Change, Verify, Describe, Link A Subheading, Restore, and Delete. Like a said before, the updates are generated by the Qbbs/Ra/Sbbs questionare languages. There is a seperate questionare for each type of update. Around 6:00am to 7:00am a batch file runs that will check to see if any updates have been made. If some were found, it will rename them, zip them up, and using a robot program, will send it to the host node (231/240). Right now.. It doesn't seem that the CIFC BBS List will get any farther than Central Indiana. The list is only limted to what we have right now. Hopefully it will expand to incorperate other nets around Central Indiana. I would like to know if there is anyone else that has experimented with something like this. Please feel free to netmail me or something. I'm at 1:231/70.0. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-12 Page 11 25 Mar 1991 ================================================================= LATEST VERSIONS ================================================================= Latest Software Versions MS-DOS Systems -------------- Bulletin Board Software Name Version Name Version Name Version DMG 2.93 Phoenix 1.3 TAG 2.5g Fido 12s+ QuickBBS 2.66 TBBS 2.1 GSBBS 3.02 RBBS 17.3B TComm/TCommNet 3.4 Lynx 1.30 RBBSmail 17.3B Telegard 2.5 Kitten 2.16 RemoteAccess 1.00* TPBoard 6.1 Maximus 1.02 SLBBS 1.77A Wildcat! 2.55 Opus 1.14+ Socrates 1.10 WWIV 4.12 PCBoard 14.5 XBBS 1.15 Network Node List Other Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version BinkleyTerm 2.40 EditNL 4.00 ARC 7.0 D'Bridge 1.30 MakeNL 2.31 ARCAsim 2.30 Dutchie 2.90C ParseList 1.30 ARCmail 2.07 FrontDoor 1.99c Prune 1.40 ConfMail 4.00 PRENM 1.47 SysNL 3.14 Crossnet v1.5 SEAdog 4.51b XlatList 2.90 DOMAIN 1.42 TIMS 1.0(Mod8) XlaxDiff 2.35 EMM 2.02 XlaxNode 2.35 4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18 Gmail 2.05 GROUP 2.16 GUS 1.30 HeadEdit 1.15 InterPCB 1.31 LHARC 2.10* MSG 4.1 MSGED 2.06 MSGTOSS 1.3 Oliver 1.0a PK[UN]ZIP 1.10 QM 1.0 QSORT 4.03 Sirius 1.0x SLMAIL 1.36 StarLink 1.01 TagMail 2.41 TCOMMail 2.2 Telemail 1.27 FidoNews 8-12 Page 12 25 Mar 1991 TMail 1.15 TPBNetEd 3.2 TosScan 1.00 UFGATE 1.03 XRS 4.10* XST 2.2 ZmailH 1.14 OS/2 Systems ------------ Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version Maximus-CBCS 1.02 BinkleyTerm 2.40 Parselst 1.32 ConfMail 4.00 EchoStat 6.0 oMMM 1.52 Omail 3.1 MsgEd 2.06 MsgLink 1.0C MsgNum 4.14 LH2 0.50 PK[UN]ZIP 1.02 ARC2 6.00 PolyXARC 2.00 Qsort 2.1 Raid 1.0 Remapper 1.2 Tick 2.0 VPurge 2.07 Xenix/Unix ---------- BBS Software Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version BinkleyTerm 2.30b Unzip 3.10 ARC 5.21 ParseLst 1.30b ConfMail 3.31b Ommm 1.40b Msged 1.99b Zoo 2.01 C-Lharc 1.00 Omail 1.00b FidoNews 8-12 Page 13 25 Mar 1991 Apple II ---------- Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version GBBS Pro 2.1 Fruity Dog 1.0 ShrinkIt 3.2 DDBBS + 4.0 ShrinkIt GS 1.04 deARC2e 2.1 ProSel 8.65 Apple CP/M ---------- Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version Daisy v2j Daisy Mailer 0.38 Nodecomp 0.37 MsgUtil 2.5 PackUser v4 Filer v2-D UNARC.COM 1.20 Macintosh --------- Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version Red Ryder Host 2.1 Tabby 2.2 MacArc 0.04 Mansion 7.15 Copernicus 1.0 ArcMac 1.3 WWIV (Mac) 3.0 LHArc 0.33 Hermes 1.01 StuffIt Classic 1.6 FBBS 0.91 Compactor 1.21 TImport 1.92 TExport 1.92 Timestamp 1.6 Tset 1.3 Import 3.2 Export 3.21 Sundial 3.2 PreStamp 3.2 OriginatorII 2.0 AreaFix 1.6 Mantissa 3.21 Zenith 1.5 FidoNews 8-12 Page 14 25 Mar 1991 Eventmeister 1.0 TSort 1.0 Mehitable 2.0 UNZIP 1.02c Amiga ----- Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version Paragon 2.082+ BinkleyTerm 1.00 AmigArc 0.23 TransAmiga 1.05 TrapDoor 1.50 AReceipt 1.5 WelMat 0.42 booz 1.01 ConfMail 1.10 ChameleonEdit 0.10 ElectricHerald1.66 Lharc 1.30 MessageFilter 1.52 oMMM 1.49b ParseLst 1.30 PkAX 1.00 PK[UN]ZIP 1.01 PolyxAmy 2.02 RMB 1.30 RoboWriter 1.02 Skyparse 2.30 TrapList 1.12 Yuck! 1.61 Zippy (Unzip) 1.25 Zoo 2.01 Atari ST/TT ----------- Bulletin Board Network Node List Software Version Mailer Version Utilities Version FIDOdoor/ST 2.12* BinkleyTerm 2.40l* ParseList 1.30 QuickBBS/ST 1.02 The BOX 1.20 Xlist 1.12 Pandora BBS 2.41c EchoFix 1.20 GS Point 0.61 sTICk/Hatch 5.10* LED ST 1.00 MSGED 1.96S Archiver Msg Format Other Utilities Version Converters Version Utilities Version FidoNews 8-12 Page 15 25 Mar 1991 LHARC 0.60 TB2BINK 1.00 ConfMail 4.03 ARC 6.02 BINK2TB 1.00 ComScan 1.02 PKUNZIP 1.10 FiFo 2.1j* Import 1.14 OMMM 1.40 Pack 1.00 FastPack 1.20 FDsysgen 2.16 FDrenum 2.10 Trenum 0.10 Archimedes ---------- BBS Software Mailers Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version ARCbbs 1.44 BinkleyTerm 2.03 Unzip 2.1TH ARC 1.03 !Spark 2.00d ParseLst 1.30 BatchPacker 1.00 + Netmail capable (does not require additional mailer software) * Recently changed Utility authors: Please help keep this list up to date by reporting new versions to 1:1/1. It is not our intent to list all utilities here, only those which verge on necessity. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-12 Page 16 25 Mar 1991 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= The Interrupt Stack 30 Mar 1991 Jim Grubs (W8GRT) was issued his first ham radio license forty years ago today. His first station was made from an ARC-5 "Command Set" removed from a B-17 bomber. 12 May 1991 Fourth anniversary of FidoNet operations in Latin America and second anniversary of the creation of Zone-4. 15 Aug 1991 5th annual Z1 Fido Convention - FidoCon '91 "A New Beginning" Sheraton Denver West August 15 through August 18 1991. 8 Sep 1991 25th anniversary of first airing of Star Trek on NBC! 7 Oct 1991 Area code 415 fragments. Alameda and Contra Costa Counties will begin using area code 510. This includes Oakland, Concord, Berkeley and Hayward. San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin, parts of Santa Clara County, and the San Francisco Bay Islands will retain area code 415. 1 Feb 1992 Area code 213 fragments. Western, coastal, southern and eastern portions of Los Angeles County will begin using area code 310. This includes Los Angeles International Airport, West Los Angeles, San Pedro and Whittier. Downtown Los Angeles and surrounding communities (such as Hollywood and Montebello) will retain area code 213. 1 Dec 1993 Tenth anniversary of Fido Version 1 release. 5 Jun 1997 David Dodell's 40th Birthday If you have something which you would like to see on this calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1. -----------------------------------------------------------------